Stabilizing apparatus for aircraft.



J. MAR UES.

STABILIZING APPARATUS FOR AIRCRAFT.

APRLICATLON FILED NOV- 4. 9H3- Patented Sept. 3,1918.

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JOSE MARQUES, 0F GLOUCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS.

STABILIZING APPARATUS FOR AIRCRAFT;

navmaa Application filed November 4, 1916. Serial No. 129,580.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Josh MARQUES, a subject of the 'King of Spain, residing at Gloucester, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts. have invented new and useful Improvements in Stabilizing Apparatus for Aircraft, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to stabilizing apparatus for air craft, and one of the objects of the invention is to provide stabilizing mechanism for normally maintaining both alongitudinal and lateral stability, and which is governed by the movement of the craft out of a balanced position to restore it to a state of complete equilibrium.

A further object of the invention is to provide a stabilizing apparatus operative by primary controlling elements influenced by the force of gravity in the tilting of the craft upon its axes for overning the supply of compressed air for t e actuation of fluid pressure operated devices, such as cylinders and pistons. for transmitting motion to ailerons or other stabilizing elements.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a stability mechanism operating in conjunction with the hand controls of the machine so that, while the machine is normally controlled and its stability maintained by the automatic mechanism, the aviator may at any time assume control for manually operating the balancing elements for steering, balancing and banking purposes, as well as for performing various evolutions in the air.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accom-- panying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation showing the application of the invention to so much of a flying machine as is necessary to illustrate the invention.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section on an enlarged scale through a portion of the machine.

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view looking down upon the steering and stabilizing elements.

Fig. 5 is a vertical longitudinal section through one of the compressed air operated actuating devices.

Specification of Letters Patent.

understood that this is made simply for the purposes of disclosing one mode of carrying my invention into practical efiect, and that the invention may be employed upon air craft of any of the various kinds in use.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, 1 designates the body, comprising a frame and supporting surface, of an aeroplane or other air craft embodying my in vention, which may be provided with any suitable type of launching and alighting base. This craft is shown in the present instance as provided with a driving propeller 2 suitably driven from a motor 3 which may actuate an air compresser pump 4 suitably connected to supply compressed air to the reservoir 5, in which the air is stored and maintained at a predetermined pressure for supplying compressed air as required to the actuating devices of the stabilizing elements. It is, of course, immaterial to the invention whether the air be supplied to the reservoir by means of a pump actuated by the driving motor of the air craft, or stored therein by an auxiliary coinpresser plant, either carried by the craft or forming part of the equipment of a hangar or service station. If, as shown, the compresser pump is mounted upon the craft and driven by the motor. suitable automatic means, such as 1s common in air brake mechanism, influenced by compressure in the tank, may be provided for throwing the pump into and out of operative connection with the motor to maintain a given pressure at all times in the reservoir. I have not deemed it necessary to enter into the details of construction of such an automatic air pump mechanism, however, as the same specifically constitutes no part of the present invention, and as known devices for the purpose inay be employed.

Pivotally mounted at the front and rear of the body, to tilt vertically on horizontal transverse shafts or axes 6 and 7 are front and rear combined horizontal rudders or of Moi ence and to exert a depressin elevators and longitudinal stabilizing elements 8 and 9, each comprising a plane of suitable form and construction for the purpose. These planes are connected for operation, as hereinafter described, so as to tilt in opposite directions in unison, and each plane is so mounted that when tilted to a positive angle of incidence it will exert a lifting effect and when tilted to a negative angle of incidence, it will exert a depressing effect, At opposite sides of the craft are arranged horizontal transverse shafts 6, and 7' on which are mounted lateral balancing, or stabilizing elements 8 and 9, each comprisin a plane preferablyof greatest length in a. ongitudinal direction, or parallel with the line of flight of' the machine. These two planes 8 and 9 are also mounted and connected to simultaneously tilt or swing on their horizontal transverse axes in opposite directions, and each is so mounted as to exert a liftin effect when tilted to a POSlt-lW-E angle efi'ect when tilted to a negative angle of incidence.

tric shafts, constructed and arranged as hereinafter described. The lateral and longitudinal stabilizing elements are automatically and manually operable through combined gravity and compressed airand manual controls, which are of similar construction, and hence a specific construction of one will generally suffice for both. In the following descrlption I have set forth specifically the construction of the longitudinal stability controls, employing certain designating numerals of reference toindicate the parts thereof, and corresponding parts of the lateral stability controls are indicated b primed numerals of reference of the same cli aracter, from which an understanding of both structures will be obtained without the necessity of separately describing them both.

Mounted upon the shafts 6 and 7 are pulleys 11 and 12 on which are respectively wound the looped ortions of continuous cables 12 and 13, tli e cable 12 being provided with branches 14. and 15 and the cable 13 with branches 16 and 17 The free ends of these cables respectively pass through sets of front and rear guides 18 and 19 at the front and rear corners of the oppositely extending arms of a control lever 20 loosely mounted to swing in a longitudiwound and unwould accordin nal direct-ion upon the central post or shaft 21 of the steering column, which post or shaft is suitably ournaled at its lower end upon the body 1 and provided at its upper end with a hand wheel or manually operable control device 22. The respective ends of the branches 1% and 15 of the cables 12 are connected with and wound in opposite directions upon one of the pulley surfaces of a double pulley 23, while the free ends of the respective branches 16 and 17 of the cable 13 are similarly connected to and wound'in opposite directions upon the other pulley surface of said double pulley 23. Between the sets of guides 18 and 19 and the pulley 23 the corresponding right and left hand branches of the cables extend over the arms of the lever 20 in a crossed relationship, the construction and arrangement of the cable branches being such that in the swinging movements of the lever 20, which turns independently of the pulley 23, the extremities of the cable branches which are attached to the pulley will remain fixed, while the crossed portions of said cable branches will be .drawn upon or relaxed by the directions of motion of the guides 18 and 19 through which they pass, whereas when the shaft 21, to which the pulley is keyed or otherwise fixed is turned, the ends of the cables will be to the direction of turning motion of t e shaft and their mode of connection with the pulley, allowing separate automatic or manual con- .trol actions, as I will now proceed to describe. In the automatic control action of the lever 20 in its swinging movement in one direction, assuming that the right hand arm of said lever; moves rearwardly and its left relaxed by the relaxation of pressure thereon by its guide 18, and thatwhen the arms of the lever 20 move in-the reverse directions the, motions of said cable branches will be reversed. Similar actions of the branches of the cable 13 take place when the arms of the lever with which they are in guided connection move forwardly or rearwardly, one cable branch being drawn upon and the other relaxed to effect a tilting motion of the balancing plane controlled thereby in one direction or the other. On the other hand when the shaft 21 is turned in one direction or the other the lever will remain substantially fixed while the cable branches will wind about or unwind from the pulley 23 through their mode of connection therewith and the direction of turning motion of the pulley, and will run through the guides 18 and 19 in such-controlling actions. The adjustments of the balancing planes obtained by the aforesaid operations of the lever and pulley will be readily understood by reference to the drawings, and particularly Fig. 7, so that specific description thereof will be unnecessary, it being evident, however, from the foregoing description that the planes may be separately controlled by the automatic and manually operable control devices without interference each from the other.

The steering column includes in addition to the lever 20, shaft 21', control wheels 22' and double pulley 23 of the corresponding parts of the control mechanism of the lateral balancing planes, a control shaft 21 provided with a hand wheel 25 and apulley 26, all of which shafts and pulleys are concentrically mounted and arranged to be operated without interference. \Vound in opposite directions about the pulley 26 is the central portion or bight of a cable 27, the ends of the branches of which are suitably connected to the vertical rudder 10 so that reverse motions may be communicated to said rudder on reverse motions of said pulley through its actuating shaft and hand wheel. It will thus be seen that all of the manually operable parts of .the control mechanism are arranged to be easily and conveniently operated from a common point, which may be in proximity to the aviators seat, and it will, of course, be un derstood that in practice suitable means may be provided for independently locking any of the control elements against motion when desired, or the hand controls may .be

arranged to coiiperate with any suitable means for maintaining them in a set position against casual displacement out of such position.

The automatic means for actuating the lever 20 comprises a fluid pressure cylinder 28 and piston 29 operating therein, said piston having its red 30-connected with one of the arms of s'aidlever. The opposite ends of the cylinder are provided with combined inlet and exhaust ports 31 and 32 commit nicating with the lower ends of combined supply and primary exhaust pipes 33 and 34 connected at their opposite ends with a valve casing 35 in which is a rotary controlling valve 36 movable to opposite positions for alternately connecting said pipes 33 and 34 with a fluid pressure supply pipe 37 and a final exhaust pipe 38. The pipes 33, 34, 37 and 38, together with the valve casing 35, are supported upon a standard 39 carried by the cylinder '28, which cylinder is pivotally mounted at one end. as indicated at 39, upon a stationary platform 40 fixed to the frame of the machine and I which also serves as a bed for the motor and deck on which the steering column is mounted, the opposite or free end of the cylinder being provided with a wheel or roller 41 to allow it to swing in an are u on the platform so that the piston and cylinder. may accommodate themselves to the angularity of motion of the arm of the lever 20 to which the piston rod is attached. The valve 36 is provided with an outwardly projecting stem to which is attached a weighted pendulum rod or lever 12 limited in its movements by stops 43. lVhen the craft is in a longitudinally balanced position the weighted lever 42, which always maintains a vertical position, holds the valve 36 in a neutral position, thus cutting off communication between the supply and exhaust pipes and the pipes 33 and 31, but when the craft tilts longitudinally in one irection or the other the valve is moved in one direction or the other to permit air from the supply pipe to pass to one end of the cylinder and air to exhaust from the opposite end of the cylinder. whereby the piston will be moved in one direction or the other to apply controlling 'motions to the lever 20. It will thus be apparent that the lever 20 will be operated automatically in one direction or the other by the gravitv controlled'fluid pressure mechanism to adjust the front and rear balancing planes to restore the craft to a state of balance or equilibrium. In such-movements of the lever, as above stated, the piston and cylinder'will swing in an arc to accommodate themselves to the arc of motion of the lever. For the purpose of permitting such motion it will, of course, be understood that the pipe 37 will be flexibly connected in any suitable manner with the air reservoir.

'From the foregoing description pertaining to,the automatic control mechanism of the longitudinal balancing elements, the operation of the. automatic control mechanism of the lateral stability planes will be readily understood from the foregoing description, the only essential difference in the two sets of devices being that the, fluid pressure controller of the lateral balancing elements is arranged for operation so as to be governed by. the lateral tilting movements of the craft.

While I have specified, and shown for. purposes of exemplification, the use of stabilizing elements in the form of planes, it will, of course, be understood that any suitable construction of stabilizing elements may be employed, and that such other changes and modifications as fall within overnin said fluid ressure su) l in and b ver, and gravity controlled means for supplying fluid pressure to said cylinder.

2. In a stabilizing mechanism for aeroplanes, stabilizing means, a swinging lever for operating the same, a single cylinder pivotally mounted for swinging movement on a vertical axis, a piston movable in said cylinder and coupled to said lever, means for supplying fluid pressure to and exhausting the same from opposite 'ends of the cylinder, and a gravity controlled element for exhausting means.

3. In a stability mechanism for air craft, stabilizing means, a swinging lever for op erating the same, a single fluid pressure cylinder pivotally mounted for swinging movement on a vertical axis, a valve mechanism for supplying and exhausting fluid pressure to and from the opposite ends of the cylinder, and a swinging gravity controlled element governing said valve mechanism.

4; In a'stability mechanism for air craft, stabilizing means, a swinging lever for operating the same, a single fluid pressure cyl inder operatively coupled thereto pivotally mounted for swinging movement on a vertical axis, means mounting said cylinderand piston to contact the same to accommodate themselves to' angularities of movement of the lever, a valve mechanism for controlling the supply and exhaust of fluid pressure to and from the ends of the cylinder, and gravity controlled means governingsaid valve mechanism.

- 5. In a stability mechanism for air craft, stabilizing means, a swinging lever for operating the same, a single fluid pressure cylinder and piston operatively coupled tiereto pivotally mounted for swinging movement on a vertical axis, supply and exhaust pipesconnected with the opposite ends of the cylinder, a valve casing, supply and exhaust pipes connected with said casin a rotar valve 0 eratin in said casin and a gravity controlled element for actuating said valve.

ture.

JosE MARQUES.

In testlmony whereof I affix my signa- 

